


Look After You

by bokuakabeam



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Abusive Parents, Alternate Universe - After College/University, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Gilmore Girls Setting, Bad Parenting, Bokuto Koutarou & Kuroo Tetsurou Friendship, Diners, F/M, Homophobia, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Good Friend, Loss of Parent(s), M/M, Mentions of Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Swearing, nothing too graphic though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:34:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23922421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bokuakabeam/pseuds/bokuakabeam
Summary: Bokuto's life didn't really pan out like everyone expected, but he's where he wants to be.He's got a killer job, kickass best friends, and the best roommate he could ever ask for. Not to mention, he was developing a crush on the cute diner-owner in town. He couldn't be happier.Except when his finances fall through, and he has to go to the two last people on earth he wants to see to ask for help.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu, Hinata Shouyou & Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio/Kozume Kenma, Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Tanaka Saeko/Tsukishima Akiteru, Yachi Hitoka/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 11
Kudos: 22





	1. Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! So I had this idea and all of a sudden I couldn't stop writing it, so here it is! It's a BokuAka fic, based off of the Gilmore Girls universe! It's loosely based, so I'll be using some of the same plot points and I'll throw in some of the dialogue, but ultimately it's going to be more original since some of the major plot points of Gilmore Girls aren't recreated. 
> 
> I am really excited about this fic idea, so please let me know if you like it too! I would love to hear what you all think about it!
> 
> Find me on Twitter! @royalkageyama

The wind stung Bokuto’s face as he continued his steady walk down the center of town. West Si was a much smaller town that Bokuto had grown up with accustomed to, but he steadily was getting used to the limited resources and tight quarters that the town offered. The thing that really drew Bokuto to the town in the first place was the community. Everybody knew everybody else, and that was just the way it’s always been. And Bokuto is a self-proclaimed people person, so he would take advantage of what West Si had to offer. Bokuto had only lived in West Si for a summer, but the ease in which he had fallen into the groove around the town and amongst the citizens made him feel like he’d been living there his whole life. He felt accepted, appreciated, and loved; he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Not to mention, their rates for apartments were some of the cheapest in the area, so that was also a big plus.

It was the beginning of September, and the start of autumn brought out the best in the little town, in Bokuto’s opinion. The leaves on the trees were just beginning to darken, some of them falling to the ground and covering the sidewalks and streets with an array of yellows and browns. And although Bokuto normally ran warm, the wind nipping at his exposed skin made goosebumps arise. So, he hefted his bag further up his shoulder, tightened his scarf around his neck, and went full-speed to his destination.

“Morning, Bokuto!” The town’s grocer called out to him from his spot in front of his market, and Bokuto responded with a warm smile of his own.

  
“Morning, Asahi! How’s it going?”

“Ah, same old, same old.”

Bokuto liked Asahi, although they hardly spoke outside their daily morning salutations. He looked to be about the same age as Bokuto, but was slightly taller and bulkier, with a small ponytail containing his brown hair.

It looked soft, and Bokuto had wondered on more than one occasion how it would feel if he just. Touched it. Bokuto shook his head to clear his thoughts, chuckling to himself. He had a tendency to let his thoughts get ahead of him, so he found himself doing that often.

_Akaashi’s Diner_.

The sign displaying the two words swung gently in the autumn breeze, and Bokuto grimaced as he noticed the chipping paint that seemed to spread from the sign to the building itself. The building was taller more than it was wide, and the outward appearance of it made it appear to a stranger as if the place was rundown or abandoned. But anyone that lived or frequented West Si knew the exact opposite was true. It was the place that Bokuto frequented day in and day out. Akaashi was the person that fed Bokuto and Hinata breakfast and dinner, and sometimes lunch if they had the time. It had become a constant in Bokuto and Hinata’s life, and Bokuto welcomed that with open arms when their lives seemed anything but stable.

Bokuto grinned widely as he swing the door open, listening to the familiar creak of the hinges as the warmth of the building welcomed him inside. It smelled of coffee beans and french fries, and Bokuto took a deep breath, inhaling it. He loved that smell.

The tables were arranged haphazardly around the small dining area, with accompanying vinyl chairs that were slightly ripped and worn from overuse. Each of the tables contained salt and pepper canisters, as well as a little dish with sugar packets. It was something that would be expected from a regular chain restaurant, but Bokuto knew that each of the table settings was placed there with extreme care by the owner and proprietor.

“Sit down, I’ll be with you in a sec.” The abrupt and sharp voice cut through the small diner, and if Bokuto didn’t know better he would have been taken aback by the rude tone. Fortunately, he did know better, and even found himself welcoming the bluntness.

“Gee, you can feel the warmth from all the way over here, ‘Kaashi.” Bokuto felt his smile grow, and he looked around for the man, only to come up empty. “Where are you, anyway?”

“He’s messing with the oven again,” another voice chirped, one that Bokuto had a little trouble placing at first until he saw the owner.

“Oh, hey, Suga!” Bokuto waved over to his friend, who was perched on one of the stools at the counter.

Suga was a kind-looking man, and had been one of the first friends Bokuto had made when they moved to West Si. He did odd jobs around town, so he often gave off the impression that he was in multiple places at once, which Suga always seemed to find hilarious in his own way. Plus, it gave him the ability to know the ins and outs of all the drama that took place in town, which Bokuto wasn’t interested in whatsoever.

Nope. Not at all interested.

Okay… Maybe a little interested.

“What’s the latest on Ukai and Takeda?” Bokuto murmured to Suga, slipping onto the stool next to him.

Suga’s eyes lit up, and he straightened his back and adjusted himself in the stool, as if he was overeager in being able to share the news with somebody.

“You’ll never believe it, they—“

“Shut up, you know I don’t like hearing drama about people that I end up seeing later.” The blunt voice cut through again, this time the owner of it coming out from the back area containing the kitchen.

Bokuto didn’t realize he was holding his breath until Akaashi looked at him, as if waiting for him to make some kind of remark about what he’d said. He felt his lungs deflate as he quickly exhaled, earning a confused look from Suga and an annoyed smirk from Akaashi.

“Well, if I had known that aprons and bacon grease take your breath away, I would have given your phone number to a few of my acquaintances that own a diner in Woodbridge.”

Bokuto let out a breathy laugh, rolling his eyes. “Oh, shut up, ‘Kaashi. You know I only have eyes for you!”

  
Akaashi turned away with a scoff at that, but Bokuto wanted to believe it was because he had felt a blush adorning his cheeks. At least, that’s what he hoped.

“Where’s Hinata, Bo?” Suga spoke up again, seemingly having dropped their previous topic of discussion.

“Oh, he’ll be here. I let him sleep in, he doesn’t start classes for another couple hours, so I think I’m going to treat him to breakfast and then drive him to campus.”

“Okay, well don’t let me interrupt your morning!” Suga smiled at him, giving his shoulder a gentle pat as he slid off the stool into a standing position. “Give me a call later! I want to hear about Hinata’s first day... And I’ll fill you in on that gossip.” He spoke the last part in a whisper, as if scared of facing Akaashi’s wrath. The idea made Bokuto shake with laughter, waving as his friend left.

Once Akaashi came back into view, holding up a small notepad and pencil in Bokuto’s face, Bokuto only tilted his head, gazing at the machine behind Akaashi. However, the man knew exactly what Bokuto was aiming for, and was shaking his head before Bokuto even opened his mouth to beg.

  
“Please, Akaashi! Please, please, please!”

“How many cups have you had today?”

  
“None…”

“Plus?”

  
“… Five, but yours is better!” Bokuto pleaded, clasping his hands together as if he was soon to be dropping to his knees.

“You have a problem,” Akaashi said, but Bokuto could already hear his resolve breaking. Not even a second passed since Akaashi spoke, and he finally sighed, giving in and filling a coffee mug with coffee for Bokuto.

“You’re an angel!” Bokuto sung, making the younger man scoff again before he started going around refilling other customers’ coffee mugs.

Bokuto just grinned triumphantly and took a long sip from his mug, savoring the scent and flavors that overtook his senses. It wasn’t long after he’d downed half the mug when he heard the telltale sound of the door creaking open, the bell at the top jingling to announce someone else had entered the building.

“Bo! You let me oversleep!”

Hinata’s voice carried throughout the small diner, and Bokuto shouldered his bag before spinning around to face his friend. The redhead’s hair was disheveled and his cheeks and nose were red, presumably from the harsh wind that had picked up throughout the morning. But he was dressed nicely, and he had remembered to grab his jacket and scarf that Bokuto had left out for him near the door, so Bokuto’s chest filled with pride.

“You stayed up late last night, Sunshine. I wanted you to be fully rested before your first day of classes.”

Hinata rolled his eyes, taking off his scarf and plopping down at the nearest table to the door. Bokuto picked up his coffee and followed suit, sitting across from the younger man. Hinata groaned, rifling through his backpack before looking up at Bokuto with a small glare.

“Did you take my deodorant?”

Bokuto felt his smile waver, only slightly, before plastering it back on again, feigning innocence. He took another sip, his eyes remaining locked on Hinata’s as he did so. “Maybe.”

  
“Ugh, Bokuto!”

  
“What! It smelled like flowers! I liked it!”

“At least put it back after you use it! I need it for after volleyball practice. Now I’m going to stink, and no man is ever going to want to sleep with me!”

Bokuto laughed loudly, reaching over and ruffling Hinata’s hair jovially. Hinata returned his laugh with another glare that didn’t quite reach his eyes, and he betrayed his own facial expression with a small smile across his lips. “Shut up, Bo. Can you get me some coffee?”

“Sure thing! Anything to keep my pits smelling like freshly picked daisies!”

Hinata groaned, making Bokuto laugh again before he headed up to the counter, waiting his turn to speak with Akaashi again. When Akaashi finally did turn to face Bokuto, he put on a look of contempt and began shaking his head again.

“No way. I’m not going to be the leading cause to your death of caffeine overdose.”

“It’s not— Caffeine overdose? Is that a thing?”

  
Akaashi shrugged, but his eyes seemed to glimmer in amusement at Bokuto’s ability to lose track of his own thoughts and intentions. “I don’t know, but I’m not about to make you Patient Zero for the first case of it.”

Bokuto shook his head to clear it, and instead whined childishly. “But it’s not for me, it’s for Hinata!”

  
“You’re shameless.”

  
“Listen, Office Krupke, he’s right at that table, right over there.” Bokuto turned to point towards Hinata, but was affronted with the sight of a man leaning over the table, dangerously close to Hinata’s face. And from the look in said redhead’s face, the distance between him and the stranger was very unwelcome.

“Here,” Akaashi spoke softly, handing Bokuto a filled mug of coffee, the two men at the counter keeping their deadly glares on the stranger that stood in front of Hinata.

While Bokuto was dealing with his mixed feelings at seeing Hinata mercilessly hit on by some random dude he’d never seen before, he couldn’t help but feel warmth bubble up in his chest at the apparent disgust that Akaashi held for the scene before them as well. Again, Hinata and Bokuto hadn’t been living in West Si for very long, considering that the rest of the citizens had been there their whole lives, but already Hinata was seen as everyone’s child. It seemed that everyone that they’d come across during their short time living here instantly took a liking to the redhead ball of sunshine, and instantly did everything in their power to make sure he felt safe and at home in their little town. And while Akaashi wasn’t one to show his emotions easily, that fact was very much apparent to Bokuto from the minimal interactions they’d had, Bokuto could tell that the man held a soft spot for Hinata.

“Thanks,” Bokuto mumbled, taking the coffee mug in both of his hands, letting the heat from the glass warm them as he made his way slowly back to the table.

“Oh, uh… I don’t know… I’m going to be pretty busy lately…” Hinata could be heard saying, his discomfort apparent in the way he stammered out his sentences.

“Oh, c’mon. Let me just take you out this weekend. I promise you’ll enjoy yourself.” The stranger spoke swiftly and confidently. It was easy to tell that he’d done this before.

“Oh, hi,” Bokuto spoke loudly, sliding into the chair right next to Hinata rather than his original seat across from him.

“Oh, Bokuto,” Hinata breathed out a sigh of relief as he spoke the older man’s name, gripping his arm tightly before making grabby hands at the coffee mug held within his reach.

Bokuto gave him a small smile and handed him the hot drink, before placing his arm around Hinata’s smaller shoulders.

  
“I-I’m sorry, who is this?” The stranger spoke, standing up straight now and looking at Bokuto like he was the scum of the earth.

“Well, I could be asking you the same question,” Bokuto spoke calmly, but kept his features blank, his normal cheery demeanor gone. “What are you doing at my table?”

“Well, I was just—“

  
“Oh, you were just leaving? Oh, how sad. Have a nice day!” Bokuto waved the stranger off, giving him a tight-lipped smile.

“Who the hell do you think—?”

  
“This is my boyfriend!” Hinata blurted out, his eyes widening as if he hadn’t even expected those words to come out of his mouth himself. Bokuto just played along and shrugged, tightening his grip on Hinata’s shoulders in an act of possessiveness.

“Oh! I’m, uh… I’m sorry, I’ll just uh…” The stranger babbled, quickly grabbing his jacket that he’d tossed on their table and made his way out the door, slamming it on his way out.

Bokuto let himself relax, his body releasing the tension he’d built over the past few minutes. He slid to his original seat across from Hinata, giving him a soft smile. “Next time, just try not to look so cute, kid.”

Hinata rolled his eyes and returned the smile, sipping the coffee again.

“Hey, if you guys are going to keep running off my customers, I’m going to have to up my prices,” Akaashi called to them from behind the counter, earning a middle finger from Bokuto and Hinata sticking his tongue out at him. Akaashi returned their gestures with a small smile of his own, making Bokuto’s chest both swell and tighten in an uncomfortable and indescribable way.

“You okay?” Hinata noticed the presumably pained expression on Bokuto’s face, and Bokuto whipped his head to meet his gaze.

“Oh yeah! I’m great! I just have to get to the inn soon. Ready to head to classes? I thought I’d drop you off.”

“Sure, thanks!”

“Wait. Here!” Hinata hardly had to look as Akaashi tossed him a blueberry muffin wrapped in a napkin. Bokuto turned to give Akaashi a smile, pouting dramatically as the younger man replaced the lid over the muffin container.

“Where’s mine, ‘Kaashi?”

“I figured we could call it even if I gave you a to-go cup,” Akaashi spoke as he finished tightening the lid on a plastic cup of coffee, reaching his arm out towards Bokuto. “We’re all out of apple-cinnamon muffins, and I know those are your favorite, so…” Akaashi trailed off as Bokuto reached towards him and took the cup from his hands, their fingers brushing slightly.

“Thanks, ‘Kaashi.” Bokuto tilted his head slightly and gave him a heartfelt smile. “You’re the best.”

  
“Yeah, yeah,” Akaashi mumbled, but this time he did nothing to hid the slight blush that crept up his cheeks. “See you for dinner?”

  
“You bet.”


	2. Hinata's First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto drops Hinata off for his first day of school, and heads to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! This chapter is more backstory, and hopefully I can get the backstory out of the way soon so I can get into the plot! I hope it's not too boring, I'm really trying to get my bearings on this story :)

Bokuto and Hinata had gotten used to walking everywhere they went once they’d moved to West Si. Not that there weren’t functioning streets, but that the use of a vehicle to get from point A to point B was almost pointless. Anywhere of interest was no further than a fifteen-minute walk, and the weather was almost more than nice, so that’s what everyone in town preferred to do anyway. However, seeing as Hinata’s university was in the city over, they needed to walk back home to get their car, and Bokuto would drive Hinata there.

The drive to Glenstown was nearly an hour, half an hour there and then another half hour back, so it wasn’t too long of a trip, but it always gave Bokuto more than enough time with his thoughts.

He hated being alone with his thoughts for too long.

“Are you excited for your first day?” Bokuto spoke to fill the silence that filled the car as they pulled out of their reserved parking space in the apartment complex’s parking lot.

Hinata shrugged, opting to take a sip from Bokuto’s to-go cup of coffee instead of answering.

“C’mon, it’s not that bad! They can’t have changed it much since I graduated last year, and I’m still on good speaking terms with the coaches and even some of the professors—“

“ _You’re_ on good speaking terms with some professors? From what I know about you, you don’t seem like a good student,” Hinata laughed breathlessly, and Bokuto noticed the hint of anxiety that laced the younger man’s voice.

“Well, I didn’t get the best grades, but I was well liked,” Bokuto defended himself, feigning offense. “People tend to think I’m a good fella!”

“Well, you are…” Hinata trailed off, speaking lowly as if he didn’t want Bokuto to hear his compliment.

  
“Thanks, Sunshine,” Bokuto spared the redhead a glance, making sure he saw his warm smile before he focused back on the road. There wasn’t as much traffic as he expected on a Monday morning, but then again it was nearing ten, so the morning rush had trickled down to nothing by that point.

“What time is your last class of the day again? I forgot to print out your schedule, I’ll do it once I get to the inn,” Bokuto hummed, mostly talking to himself at that point, adding another task to the running checklist of things he needed to do that he kept in his head.

“It ends at four, but I know you don’t get off until five-ish, so I can catch the bus if you need me to.”

  
“Nonsense!” Bokuto declared, quickly shaking his head. “It’s your first day of college _ever_ , you will not be taking the bus home. I’ll pick you up, and take you for dinner and ice cream, and—!”

“Bokuto, it’s okay, you don’t have to treat me like I’m some fragile thing that’s going to break,” Hinata spoke softly, but with determination. “I’m really okay. I didn’t expect my parents to do this, I don’t expect it of you.”

  
Bokuto was quiet for a minute, focusing on his lane changes before he focused his attention back on the redhead next to him. “I am not doing this to meet any expectations you have. I care about you, and I want to know how your first day goes, and I want to be here for you when it ends. So I’ll pick you up, end of story. I might not be able to do that every day, but something as little as driving to pick you up from school? I think I’ll manage.”

Hinata leaned over and rested his head on Bokuto’s shoulder as a silent sign of gratitude, and although the angle looked uncomfortable for the smaller man, Bokuto could feel his high spirits radiating.

“Oh! That reminds me! When does volleyball practice start? I want to come and talk to the coach!”

“You don’t have to—“

  
Bokuto shot him a glare that didn’t reach his eyes, and they both ended up laughing at his blunt attempt at discipline.

  
“Ugh, fine! I think it starts Wednesday, but I’ll double check my email today just to make sure.”

  
They spoke in idle chit chat for the rest of the ride there, Bokuto doing his best to assuage any anxieties that Hinata was exhibiting about his first day.

  
“Okay, and you have your phone, right? So you can call me any time, anywhere, and if you need me I’ll be here, okay? It can be for anything too! Your professor hits on you, someone in class looks at you wrong, _anything!_ And I’ll come pick you up!”

  
Bokuto was rambling, and Hinata just kept laughing as he gathered his belongings and stumbling out the passenger side door.

“Alright, alright! I’ll be fine! Thanks, _dad!_ ” Hinata accentuated the last word as a clear joke and slammed the door shut, waving his farewell to Bokuto.

Bokuto just grinned widely and waved back, watching as his little redhead walked up to the building he’d been dropped off in front of, and disappeared inside.

━━━━━━

Bokuto finally pulled into the small parking lot at his place of business, Wishing Well Bed and Breakfast. Yeah, don’t ask him about the name. He didn’t pick it, he would change it if he had the capability, and he mocked it along with the rest of the employees that worked there. They all just chose to shorten it to Wishing Well, or better yet just opted to call it The Inn, when in a rush. The building was a lot larger than any of the other buildings that surrounded West Si, which made it a destination inn for travelers and vacationers alike when visiting small towns along the east coast. The building always looked freshly painted, and the landscaping was extremely well-kept, which Bokuto looked upon proudly as he walked from his car up to the front door. The landscaping was one of his duties, being the executive manager, and he always felt an ego-boost when he would receive well-written reviews about how incredible a guest’s stay was in his inn.

Nearing on four months ago, he’d rushed into the Wishing Well, probably looking a little erratic. He was desperate for a job, any job, and needed to find one fast so he could work to support himself and Hinata. Luckily, he’d wandered into the establishment that had the coolest, most badass owner of all time. How Saeko came to own and run the Wishing Well was beyond Bokuto, something about how a distant relative had left it to her in their will, but she was in desperate need for an executive manager to handle the day-to-day tasks so she could focus more on big picture things. In came Bokuto. Luckily his degree from Glenstown University was in business, because Saeko hired him on the spot. Either that, or she was just that desperate for some help. Either way, Bokuto left there with high hopes and the promise of a bi-monthly paycheck.

He never expected his degree to really pay off in a way that made him happy; he’d only majored in business because that was what he was told to do, and he maintained good grades alongside playing volleyball because that was what was expected of him. And who was he to complain when all his living expenses were being paid for? His mind, body, and soul screamed for him to pursue his dream of playing volleyball nationally, but it just wasn’t in the cards for him. HIs senior year of university, he’d been coerced into quitting the team, and focusing solely on his studies. Coerced, unwillingly, blackmailed, all the same thing, right? And then all that shit happened with—

Bokuto shook his head aggressively, clearing his thoughts once again.

_Nope. Not going there. Not going to think about them._

Instead, Bokuto swing the door open, the cool breeze from the autumn air shifting into a warm still air that rested in the inn. The fireplace crackled quietly off to the left of him, and a few guests milled about here and there. He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling himself instantly relax as he entered the place he’d grown quite accustomed to over the past summer, and headed towards the reception desk.

“Late again, Bokuto?”

  
“Oh, shut up, you know it was Hinata’s first day today.” Bokuto spoke harshly, but there was no bite behind his words as he looked up to meet the eyes of their concierge. His blonde hair was cropped short, but still hung slightly in his face, and the black-framed glasses contrasted nicely with his pale skin, and showed off the gold specks that danced inside brown irises.

“Oh, really? How was he feeling, was he nervous?” Tsukishima’s face softened at the mention of Hinata, but still kept the frown that always adorned his lips. The blonde was very similar to Akaashi in that he always seemed to hide his true feelings behind a mask of indifference, except when it came to Bokuto’s little redhead.

“He was nervous, yeah. But I mean I expected as much, he’s just barely 18,” Bokuto sighed, thumbing through the mail that had been left for him underneath the reservations book. “Did the plumber come to fix that leak that sprung in room three?”

  
“Yeah, he did nothing, and he said it’d cost $300,” Tsukishima spoke disinterestedly, but knowing Bokuto he was already handing him the handheld business phone.

Bokuto grunted in frustration, rolling his eyes and dialing the number he already knew by heart. He swung around the desk, just as he’d done what seemed like thousands of times already, and made his way into the kitchen, tucking the phone between his ear and shoulder as he walked. He gave soft smiles to the guests that he passed, finally making it into the sanctuary of the kitchen, the door easily swinging open to let him in.

“Oliver!” Bokuto spoke loudly into the phone once he was connected with his “trusty” plumber. They’d worked with the company for years, or so Bokuto was told, but even in the short time that Bokuto had been manager of the inn he’d been struggling with keeping the plumbers honest with their work. They’d often come in, place duct tape over the problem, and then charge out the ass.

  
“What’s the deal with room three?” He asked after he got the customary greeting from Oliver. He waited for the response, one that he had gotten used to hearing and could probably recite in his sleep if someone asked, before continuing. “Okay, so you couldn’t fix the problem, so how it it _my_ problem to pay you for it? Alright, that’s what I thought. Thank you!” Bokuto sung his appreciation into the phone before hanging up, and letting out a loud groan.

  
“Bad day already and it’s not even noon!” A smooth voice called from somewhere in the kitchen, making Bokuto instantly perk up.

“Kuroo! Where are you?” He walked around the kitchen, making sure not to get in the way of the other workers that were quickly preparing for the lunch rush to start.

“Ah, down here.” Bokuto peered around the corner of the last counter, seeing Kuroo sitting on the tiled floor, gripping one of his hands in the other, and long legs splayed out in front of him as if he were a child.

“Uh, whatcha doing down there?” Bokuto crouched down behind his friend, speaking slowly and teasingly.

  
Kuroo glared up at Bokuto, his messy hair looking even worse than normal, covering nearly both of his eyes before the man blew upwards, clearing the hair from his line of sight. “I burned my thumb, so instead of hopping around like a chicken without its head, I just sat down to wait until it stopped hurting.”

  
Bokuto nodded. Before meeting Kuroo, this kind of statement would have left him questioning everything out of the crazy man’s mouth. Now, he just knew how Kuroo was. But, it’s not like he could complain; Kuroo was their head chef, and he was the best damn cook Bokuto had ever had the pleasure of meeting or working with. Kuroo had been his first official friend in this small town, easily falling into a friendly rapport with the cook once he’d gotten the job as manager and introduced himself on his first work day. Kuroo was just someone that was easy to talk to, no matter who you were. It was almost like he could read people and instantly know their sense of humor, and played at that until he got them to laugh, and it worked on everyone Kuroo came into contact with.

Well, everyone except for…

“Could I get you to call the gardener? Every time I talk to him he ends up crying, and I don’t know why.” Tsukishima walked into the kitchen, clutching the reservation book along with a few papers in his long, thin arms. He addressed Bokuto, keeping his eyes trained on his boss.

“Sure, but I think I could tell you why he cries,” Bokuto admits sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

  
“All I tell him is that I’m not interested in his gardening jokes,” Tsukishima furrows his brows, his frown deepening.

“Well, did you have to be so blunt about it? He was just trying to make you laugh.”

  
Tsukishima rolled his eyes, and the two turned to Kuroo as the chef started to laugh. “Oh, my God! What did you say?”

Bokuto turned to Tsukishima, raising his eyebrows as if waiting for him to respond to the question himself.

Tsukishima sighed, something he did often when it came to Bokuto or Kuroo, and mumbled. “I told him that I loved the sound he makes when he shuts up. But, c’mon, that’s not that bad!”

  
Kuroo busted out laughing at that, slapping his knees and snorting as he tried to catch his breath. The laughter must have been infectious, because Bokuto found himself chortling as well, holding out his hand for Kuroo to grab and helping to heft him back up to his feet.

“You’re both idiots,” Tsukishima grumbled, turning on his heels and briskly walking back out of the kitchen.

“Tsukki, you wound me!” Kuroo called after him.

“Don’t call me that!”

Bokuto and Kuroo took a few moments to collect themselves and their breathing, only getting a second of comfortable silence before lunch orders started rolling in.

“Alright, I better get back to work. We’re at ninety percent capacity, we got some hungry people this week!” Kuroo looked excited, his eyes almost maniacal in the way they shifted left and right, as if he couldn’t decide what he wanted to work on first.

“I’ll be by the coffee if you need me,” Bokuto slapped Kuroo on the shoulder once as a sign of affection before moving over to the industrial-sized coffee maker, pouring himself a mug.

“Oh, I almost forgot! How did Hinata do this morning?” Kuroo was multi-tasking now, switching between stovetops and cutting boards, but keeping his eyes expertly trained on Bokuto, awaiting his response.

“He did alright. He was nervous, of course, but he seemed okay when I dropped him off. He called me dad,” Bokuto admitted, letting a small smile spread across his lips.

“Really? That’s a good sign, right? Means he’s not thinking about those asshole parents of his, or that he trusts you enough that he thinks of you as a parental figure. Either way, good!”

“Yeah…” Bokuto trailed off, just letting his mind wander. He pulled out his phone, tapping the screen to awaken it, frowning when he didn’t see any notifications on the screen.

“Expecting something?”

  
“No, I was just hoping he’d tell me how his day was going.”

  
“Well, he’s probably just busy. Plus, Bo, he’s a kid. Kids forget to check in sometimes, try not to worry about it.” Kuroo’s smile was genuine, and it helped assuage Bokuto’s nerves slightly.

“Yeah, yeah. We’re not _that_ old, Kuroo. Calling him kid makes me feel like I’m eighty.”

“You might as well be, Bo. Your hair is white enough for it!”

  
“Hey— It’s just— I’m— Shut up!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	3. Humble Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata remembers how he and Bokuto met

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is more Hinata-Centric, just focusing on how Hinata and Bokuto met and become friends. So it's all flashbacks, and then the next chapter will be Hinata's experience during his first day of school, which I'm really excited about!
> 
> I updated the tags accordingly, so just keep an eye on those before reading this chapter. It's not explicit or anything, though! :)

Hinata watched from the window of the main building as Bokuto drove away. He and Bokuto had gotten the car on a whim during their first week in West Si. Hinata had minimal savings that he’d been able to steal away when he left his parents house. (Left, as in forcibly kicked out, but same thing, he supposes.) And Bokuto had quite a bit saved up from his previous living arrangement, of which he didn’t like to talk about. So they’d been able to afford a clunker of a used car, but they loved it all the same. They brought it to their apartment, cleaned it both inside and out, and Bokuto had even let Hinata drive it around the parking lot a little, even if he wasn’t that good at driving.

That was why Hinata loved Bokuto so much: the amount of trust that they put into each other, even only knowing each other for such a short period of time, was exponential. Hinata had been desperate for some help after his parents kicked him out, and that hopeless and frenzied need could have led him into dangerous situations. Luckily, he’d literally fallen right into Bokuto’s arms.

Well, adjacent to his arms.

━━━━━━

_Hinata’s legs propelled his body forward as he raced around campus, excitedly taking in the scenery and commotion around him. The grass was a beautiful green, the trees were tall and cast shade across expanses of flowers and clean sidewalks, and there were students scattered everywhere. Tension could be palpably felt, seeing as spring finals were right around the corner, and every student’s brows were furrowed in deep concentration, their faces buried in textbooks or laptops. But Hinata couldn’t find himself caring about any of that right now. Just the fact that he was on campus at his dream college, surrounded by an air of sophistication; but he clutched in his hands the thing that would change his life._

_His acceptance letter._

_He’d been searching for a way out of his parents’ house for years, a way out of the familial expectations to “carry on the family business.”_

_Yeah, as if Hinata would ever study business. He’d scoffed at the insinuation, and earned a swift backhand to the cheek. That had been in middle school._

_Since then, he’d been studying his ass off, keeping his emotions and thoughts to himself to appease his parents, and working and striving towards they day he could say “fuck you very much!” And escape their clutches on him._

_Along with the acceptance letter had come an offer of a volleyball scholarship, and he felt a swell of pride throughout his body. If he’d done what his parents had asked and quit volleyball, he would have lost all chances of leaving. But he didn’t, and now there was a light at the end of the tunnel. He could see the view from the other side of the summit, and he couldn’t wait to plummet into bigger and better things._

_Under the guise of visiting with a friend, he’s spent some of his saved-up allowance on a train ride up to Glenstown for the “Incoming Freshman Meet & Greet.” It wasn’t something that was necessarily mandatory, but Hinata was desperate to visit campus, see where he’d be living, and get his foot in the door with his soon-to-be volleyball coach. As he was prone to do, he got lost in his own thoughts, and was only pulled from them when he ran into something solid, falling directly back onto his ass._

_How embarrassing, he ran into a wall._

_“Hey, are you okay?”_

_A talking wall?_

_Hinata looked up, his brown eyes meeting gold, and he flushed deeply._

_Oh, he ran into some kind of Hercules._

_“I’m so sorry!” Hinata’s voice bursted past his lips, and he quickly stood up, brushing himself off as he apologized profusely. “My mom says I’m really bad about not paying attention and that I spend too much time in my head, and—“_

_“Kid!” The man spoke, his face soft but his eyes filled with amusement. “It’s okay. I do the same thing! Plus, you’re like, small. I didn’t even feel anything. I was just more worried about you!”_

_Hinata started at this, pouting and furrowing his brows. “I’m not that small!”_

_This made the man laugh out loud and he reached over and ruffled Hinata’s hair. “You’re smaller than me!”_

_“What, you just like to compare sizes?” Hinata mocked._

_The man threw his hand over his chest, feigning offense. “Kid! You’re the one who got knocked on their ass, do you really want to talk about comparing sizes?”_

_Hinata kept his face defiant for a moment longer until he couldn’t help but break his frown, a smile stretching across his lips, his cheeks puffing up._

_The man outstretched his hand, his expression more friendly than mocking now. “Bokuto.”_

_Hinata accepted his hand, shaking it firmly. “I’m Hinata!”_

_“Well, Hinata. Where you headed? I graduated this past December, but my old coach asked me to come meet some of the new freshman coming in. See if I can sniff out some of their potential,” he added the last part with a wiggle of his eyebrows._

_“Coach?” Hinata repeated, cocking his head slightly._

_“Yeah! I was captain of the volleyball team here, and—“_

_“Really?!” Hinata’s eyes widened, and he felt himself tense up in excitement. His cheeks heated up and he knew he was already looking at Bokuto like he was Jesus. “I play volleyball too! That’s where I was headed, I was looking for the gym.”_

_Bokuto brightened at that, slinging his arm around Hinata’s shoulders as he began leading him in the same direction he had been heading. “Well, Hinata, it seems like we were destined by fate to meet today!”_

_Hinata just smiled wider, and let himself be pulled by Bokuto._

_The rest of the day was spent showcasing his abilities to the coaches, other incoming freshman, a few upperclassmen that were visiting between classes, and best of all, Bokuto. Hinata wasn’t sure what about Bokuto that made him want to impress the older man, but Hinata didn’t complain about it. As he spiked yet another ball on the opposite side of the net, effortlessly evading the opposing team’s blockers, he heard a loud whoop from the sidelines._

_“Woo! Go Hinata! Goddamn, that kid is good!” That last part, he suspected, was meant to just be to the coaches, but Bokuto’s voice echoed amongst the squeak of shoes in the gymnasium._

_Hinata beamed, bouncing in place as he awaited the next serve. Again, he bounded towards the next, quickly shooting to the left instead of the right, jumped as high as he could, and slammed the ball on the other side._

_Groans from the opposing side’s teammates could be heard, but Hinata didn’t care. He just wanted to show that he could be and was a valuable member of the team. That he could do anything if he put his mind to it. And based on the reactions from the coaches and Bokuto, they were more than impressed._

_Once they finished their practice game and cleaned up the gym, Hinata found himself outside with Bokuto once again, walking slowly around campus. The sun had started to set, low in the sky as it cast orange and pink hues across the dying activities from earlier. The place looked beautiful like this, and Hinata wanted freshman year to just come on already. He was ready, he wanted to be here._

_Bokuto’s mouth never closed, and endless stream of praise and suggestions flowing easily from his lips._

_“—and that last spike you did! Where the fuck did you learn to jump like that? That was so fucking impressive, and did you see the other team’s faces when you did that feint? Oh my God, it was hilarious!”_

_“Thanks, Bokuto,” Hinata grinned, looking over at the older man. “I just kept practicing, is all. My parents hated it, knowing that I was practicing receiving rather than doing my homework, or whatever. But...” Hinata trailed off, looking at his hands. They were still red, the sting from the several spikes he’d pulled off still thudded in his hands, but not enough to cause much pain. “I just really love volleyball.”_

_Bokuto was quiet; the only time Hinata had seen him quiet all day, but he just looked deep in thought. He tensed, waiting for the followup questions that usually came with that admission._

_Do you get along with your parents? Why do they hate you playing volleyball so much? Why don’t you want to follow in your father’s footsteps? He’s very successful, you know?_

_But they never came, and that was yet another facet of reasoning as to why Hinata cared so much about Bokuto. He knew not to overstep boundaries, even just knowing Hinata for less than a day._

_“Listen, kid— Er, uh. Hinata,” Bokuto smiled apologetically, digging in his pockets. “I’m gonna give you my number. If you ever need anything, just call me, okay? I live in the area. I can help you out with school, or practice volleyball with you. I’ll even score you some beer if you wanna party.”_

_Hinata snorted, shaking his head at the last suggestion, taking the scrap of paper Bokuto had scribbled on._

_“Why?” Hinata blurted out, unable to stop himself._

_“Why?”_

_“Yeah, why are you being so nice to me? You barely know me.” Hinata’s voice was quiet, and he kept his gaze on the sidewalk instead of looking at Bokuto._

_“Well...” Bokuto hummed in thought before he continued. “At first you just looked like a lost little puppy dog. I just wanted to help you find your way.”_

_Hinata shoved his shoulder at that, earning a chuckle from Bokuto before he continued._

_“But... After seeing you play... You just remind me a lot of myself when I was your age.”_

_“Oh, God, not one of those ‘when I was your age’ talks! Listen, Grandpa—“_

_“Just shut up and listen when I compliment you!” Bokuto whined. “You were so into the game, and you got along well with everyone, and you took any criticism with pleasure, like all you wanted to do was get better and better...” Bokuto trailed off again, clearly getting lost in his thoughts, just as Hinata had earlier that day._

_Hinata cleared his throat quietly, but successfully pulled Bokuto back to their conversation. Bokuto blushed faintly, giving Hinata a small embarrassed smile._

_“Sorry, just. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t so something, or that you can’t be who you want to be, alright? You’ll regret it.”_

_At that ominous suggestion, Bokuto buried his hands in his pants pockets, gave a brief farewell, and headed towards the parking garage. Hinata stood, watching the older man get smaller and smaller, the distance between them getting larger, before he himself headed back towards the train station._

━━━━━━

_Hinata had no idea he would be accepting Bokuto’s kindness as soon as he was, but nearly a week after they met, he found himself shakily punching in Bokuto’s phone number on his cell phone, and holding the phone up to his ear. Breathing was getting difficult, and after being stuck on the same train ride from the week prior for a couple hours and was now in the humid spring air in Glenstown, Hinata felt even more constricted._

_“Hello?”_

_  
“B-Bokuto?” Hinata inwardly cringed at the shakiness of his voice, and swallowed down the sob that threatened to escape his lips. “It’s, uh. It’s Hinata. I don’t know if you remember m-me—“_

_“Hinata! Of course I remember you!” Bokuto’s loud voice had a calming effect on Hinata, but that still didn’t quell the swell of emotions that filled Hinata’s mind._

_“C-Can… Are you busy?”_

_Bokuto was quiet for a minute before he spoke again, this time sounding out of breath. “Hinata, where are you? Are you okay?”_

_Tears started to fall at that, and he shook his head aggressively, trying to clear his thoughts so he could focus on his conversation._

_“B-Bokuto, could you come get me?”_

━━━━━━

_“Alright spill, kid.” Bokuto settled in across the table from Hinata, his gaze serious but soft as he looked at the redhead in front of him._

_As soon as Bokuto could comprehend Hinata’s blubbering over the phone, realizing that he had just arrived in town from the train station, he was there in less than fifteen minutes, driving a car nicer than Hinata had ever seen. Hinata had been inconsolable, and in an attempt to save a little bit of the younger man’s pride, Bokuto quickly ushered him into the car and drove him to a coffee shop. Bokuto spoke softly about anything and nothing, just trying to fill the empty silence as he drove. He explained that the coffee shop was a place that his boss liked him to frequent, so he had gotten to know the owners extremely well, and also knew that this time of day was the slowest for them, so they’d have privacy to talk._

_“Well…” Hinata started, his voice barely a whisper. His throat burned from crying, and his eyes felt dry, but he knew that there were still more tears to come. “I don’t know if I told you before, but my parents don’t really support me playing volleyball.”_

_  
“You kind of alluded to that, yeah.”_

_Hinata cleared his throat and kept his line of sight on the table in front of him rather than face Bokuto. “Well, they found out something worse than that.”_

_  
“I’m on the edge of my seat, Hinata,” Bokuto spoke softly, his hands clasped together on the table top. It was then that Hinata looked up at Bokuto, seeing his friendly features and his honest curiosity that mixed in golden irises. He felt the tension in his shoulder ease and a heavy weight lift off his chest as he tried to understand the man in front of him. He was worried about Hinata, not because he needed Hinata for anything, but because he was worried about his well-being. That’s it. No hidden agenda, no familial obligation. Just concern and care._

_“They caught me in bed with somebody,” Hinata spoke slowly, his voice low despite the coffeeshop being devoid of other customers aside from themselves._

_Bokuto furrowed his brows at that, leaning forward in his seat as if trying to read Hinata’s expression. He repeated what Hinata said, but slowly, trying to comprehend the issue. “They got mad because they caught you in bed with someone?”_

_“Well I don’t think they expected to see their business partner’s son balls deep in—“ Hinata slapped his hand over his mouth as he realized what he’d said, his cheeks burning up._

_Bokuto snorted at Hinata’s reaction, but kept his face smooth. “So… Important aspect that you failed to mention: They got upset because you’re gay?”_

_Hinata blushed further, looking away as he just nodded slightly. It wasn’t until Bokuto moved closer to Hinata, his face just inches away from Hinata’s own that he looked back up and met Bokuto’s intense gaze. It was as if Bokuto could read Hinata’s mind, and he didn’t know whether to be scared or grateful that he didn’t have to say anything more._

_“Hinata, did they hurt you?”_

_“Barely,” Hinata croaked out, feeling fresh tears slide down the trails of their predecessors, and he sniffled quietly._

_  
“Let me see. Do you need to go to the hospital? How bad is it?” Bokuto fired off question after question, and while his expression remained passive, Hinata could see the anger building behind his eyes._

_“It’s really not that bad, Bokuto, I swear,” Hinata spoke softly, but minded the older man as he slid the sleeves of his sweater up, showing that bruises were forming along his arm. He had a few fading from some pretty intense receiving during a volleyball game, so to the untrained eye, the new ones could be accounted as volleyball injuries. However, Bokuto and Hinata both could see the patterns of the discolorations, and the way they very easily laid themselves out as finger indentions._

_Bokuto let out a long exhale as the two just looked at Hinata’s arms for a moment before Hinata covered himself back up, the blush from his face now creeping along his ears and down his neck. Bokuto met Hinata’s line of sight and just looked at him for a moment, his mouth opening and closing several times, as if hesitating on what to say next._

_“What happened next?”_

_  
Hinata didn’t have to think to respond to that. “Well, I left. My dad tried to stop me, and I wasn’t able to grab everything I could, but I got what I needed.”_

_  
“Where were you going to go, Hinata?”_

_  
“I didn’t just leave without a plan! I-I…” Hinata couldn’t even put up a fight, and he realized that the tears hadn’t stopped from earlier. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go. I just knew that that wasn’t my home anymore.” He didn’t think Bokuto even heard him with how quietly he spoke, but once he felt Bokuto’s hand over his own, he knew that he did._

_“I told you I’d help you in any way I could, if you ever needed anything. And it sounds like you need something, right?”_

_Hinata nodded slowly, unsure of what Bokuto was getting at._

_  
“Well, come stay with me.”_

_  
“Oh, Bokuto, I couldn’t,” Hinata was already shaking his head, sitting up straight in his chair._

_“Why not? Do you have somewhere else to go? Do you have money for a hotel for several months until school starts? Do you have a job to earn money to pay for living expenses while you’re in school?”_

_Hinata’s eyes widened as he took in all of Bokuto’s rapid-fire questioning once again, shaking his head more. He felt like he couldn’t speak; he really hadn’t planned that far ahead. All he knew was that he needed to get away from his parents right that second._

_“Alright, then. It’s settled. You’ll come stay with me!”_

_“Bokuto, are you sure?” Hinata asked, trying to assure Bokuto wasn’t speaking out of turn or just out of pity._

_“Hinata, I promise, you’ll always have a home with me.”_

━━━━━━

_After another short car ride in the nicest car Hinata had ever had the pleasure of looking at, let alone sitting in, they reached a long driveway with cast-iron gates blocking the entrance._

_“Uh, Bokuto?” Hinata asked, but before he could question what they were doing, Bokuto pressed a button on the sun visor and the gates began opening slowly. Hinata’s jaws dropped. “Bokuto, are you rich or something?”_

_  
Bokuto laughed at the bluntness, shaking his head. “Hah! No. My boss— Er, well. My friend? I don’t really know what to call him, actually. I’ve never had to explain the situation before.”_

_That just raised more questions than answers for Hinata, but he just stayed silent as they made their descent down the long driveway, a large house coming into view as they did. It was far from a mansion, but compared Hinata’s humble two-bedroom family home, it could be considered one. It looked like a farmhouse, almost, with columns that stretched from the wraparound porch, and the white of the posts contrasted nicely with the dark gray paint of the exterior. There was a red brick chimney that jutted out from the left side, matching with the red brick steps that led up to the porch and to the white French double doors at the front._

_“Do I need to start talking in ‘yeehaw’ for you?” Hinata mocked, looking at the expanse of the large front yard, the green grass going as far as he could see._

_Bokuto chuckled, rounding off the car in the circular driveway, making Hinata’s passenger-side door directly adjacent to the front doors of the home. “No, he just likes a more ‘rustic’ aesthetic. His words, not mine.”_

_  
“Who’s he?” Hinata turned in his seat once his seatbelt was off, facing Bokuto now. “Who is this mysterious sugar daddy of yours, and where can I get one of my own?”_

_  
Laughter filled the car as the two boys laughed, Bokuto shoving Hinata’s face good-heartedly while also scrunching his nose in mock disgust._

_  
“Ugh, do not call Oikawa my sugar daddy. That’s gross.”_

_  
“Oikawa?” Hinata asked, asking as if repeating the same question he’d just asked._

_  
“So… Long story short. My parents own an insurance agency, it’s a pretty major one. Like they have a ton of expensive and well-endowed clients. Well, owned and had, I guess I should say. They’re dead.” Bokuto spoke jaggedly, as if trying to figure out how to tell the story correctly._

_“Oh, Bokuto, I’m so sorry,” Hinata started, but snapped his mouth shut as Bokuto just shook his head and smiled._

_  
“Nah, don’t worry about it. They died like a long time ago. Well, when I was in middle school. It sucked, but ya know. Can’t help drunk driving, right?” Hinata reeled at how nonchalant Bokuto acted, but stayed silent as the older man continued. “Anyway, Oikawa was the son of my father’s business partner. Sound familiar, kid?” Bokuto’s eyes sparkled with mischief, making Hinata blush from his own indiscretions._

_“Anyway,” Bokuto repeated, and went on. “Oikawa’s a little older than me, so his parents died before mine, so he got control of their share of the insurance company and has been running it since. He’s doing a pretty good job, honestly. Better than I could do.”_

_  
“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true,” Hinata interjected, not wanting Bokuto to put himself down._

_  
“I’m sure it is true, I hate insurance shit. It’s boring!” Bokuto whined but laughed alongside Hinata. “But before my dad died, he told Oikawa to take me under his wing, and teach me the ins and outs of insurance, and blah blah blah. I dunno. I wasn’t there for the deathbed conversation. But, I’ve been with Oikawa and Iwaizumi ever since. They paid for me to go to these expensive schools, and for me to go to Glenstown University, all in the hopes that I would take over my share of the business. And, you know. So here we are.”_

_Hinata took a deep breath, trying to process everything that Bokuto had said, his brows furrowing in concentration._

_  
“Wait, who’s Iwaizumi?”_

_  
“Oh, that’s Oikawa’s lover,” Bokuto spoke dramatically, as if he was insulting someone Hinata hadn’t met. “He’s not too bad. It’s Oikawa that is the real treasure.”_

_  
“What’s wrong with Oikawa? He seems like he can’t be that bad if he took in a kid, you know?” Hinata couldn’t help but compare this unknown Oikawa person to Bokuto. Who else would take in some random kid with no obligation other than saying that they would help?_

_“He’s not the nicest person, Hinata,” Bokuto’s voice quieted, taking on a lower tone than Hinata had heard Bokuto speak in before. “Honestly? He made me quit the volleyball team my senior year—“_

_  
“What?!” Hinata shrieked. What kind of monster would make someone do something as drastic as that? Oikawa must be the devil._

_Bokuto chuckled darkly at Hinata’s outburst, but nodded solemnly. “He said since he was paying for everything, then he got to decide how I spent my time. And apparently ‘slapping balls’ was a waste of my time. He’s one to talk.”_

_“Bokuto,you should take your own advice,” Hinata felt as if he was speaking out of line, but he didn’t care. He never wanted to see this look of sadness and resignation on Bokuto’s face ever again. “You told me to never let anyone tell me who to be or how to act, and you shouldn’t either. You should do what you want!”_

_“You’re quite the optimist.” Bokuto gave him a small smile, trying to keep Hinata’s spirits high._

_“You should go in there and tell them that you’re not going into insurance, you’re gonna… Gonna… What do you want to do?”_

_  
Bokuto tapped his chin before speaking. “I’ve always wanted to own my own inn. I dunno, it’s stupid…” He spoke softly, trailing off. Hinata realized that Bokuto was embarrassed as the older man turned to look out the front windshield._

_“What? Bokuto, that sounds awesome! What made you want to get into the hospitality business?”_

_Bokuto looked at Hinata incredulously, as if he’d never expected to be asked to elaborate. “W-Well, I really like working with people. And people wouldn’t expect me to be good at it, but I actually really love planning and scheduling things. Like being able to work super hard on something and having the end result be something beautiful, making everyone ooh and ahh… I’d really like that.”_

_  
Hinata nodded along excitedly. “Yeah! That’s how I feel about volleyball! Like I work so hard on perfecting my spikes, and then during a game I can go ‘fwoosh’ and ‘hyahh’ and then the crowd goes nuts! That sounds awesome, Bokuto!” He swung his hands around, acting out the motion of jumping and spiking a ball over the net._

_  
Bokuto grinned over at Hinata, his eyes still showing his shock that this conversation hadn’t turned into something negative about his dream. “You really think so?”_

_  
Hinata nodded profusely, gripping Bokuto’s arm with both of his hands. “Of course, Bokuto! You can do anything you put your mind to.”_

━━━━━━

Hinata shook his head, clearing his thoughts once again. He didn’t want to think about his first encounter with Oikawa on his first day of school. The nerves that had been calmed on the car ride there steadily built back up in his throat, and when he tried to swallow them the lump only grew bigger. He was already a big bundle of anxiety, he didn’t need to think about that and work himself up even more. He didn’t regret Bokuto standing up for himself to Oikawa and Iwaizumi, but he desperately wished that the consequences that had transpired weren’t so drastic. He couldn’t help but feel incredibly guilty for having pushed Bokuto into such a decision, even if he didn’t agree with Oikawa’s stance on how Bokuto should live his life.

‘I need to focus on myself today,’ Hinata thought to himself, swallowing back the guilt and shouldering his backpack, looking around at the main building he found himself in. His first class was English, and it started in about fifteen minutes.

‘Here we go.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think! :)


	4. First Day at Glenstown University

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata officially starts school!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Just try and bear with me for a little bit longer, I'm still trying to set everything up before we really get into the plot, and I'm trying to keep it interesting!
> 
> More will be coming soon now that school is ending! So I hope everyone likes it <3

Hinata nibbled the muffin he’d stored in his pocket from Akaashi that morning, his backpack weighing on his shoulders as he walked through the main building, trying to locate his first class of the day. Hinata had been fortunate enough to get all his classes one after the other, which would lead for a packed day of lectures, but would get him done and home for dinner.Luckily for him, since Bokuto had gone here, he knew the ins and outs of registering for classes. None of Hinata’s family had gone to college, opting to just move into the family business, so he was out of his element when it came to everything. He found himself mentally thanking Bokuto for the hundredth time that day just as he stepped into the lecture hall.

His eyes skimmed the large room, where nearly half of the seats were already occupied. Pulling his phone out from his back pocket, Hinata noticed that he was a few minutes early, so he stood near the back of the room and finished off his muffin quickly, discarding the trash in the bin. Too many years of being teased and mocked by his peers had led to a discomfort of having his back to anyone, so he opted to slide into a sear near the back. He slid his backpack off his shoulders, letting it flop noisily to the floor and pulled out a planner, notebook, and pen, preparing himself for the start of the day.

Hinata knew he wasn’t always the best student; when it came to academics, his mind always seemed to wander to things that he would rather be doing, mainly volleyball. But he knew that he would have to have at least acceptable grades to be able to attend a viable college, so he finally forced himself to learn study and note-taking habits. He’d gotten fairly good at it, if he were to say so himself, but he always had to keep himself on a schedule. He was just about to take out his phone again to fiddle with some of the apps until class started, when he felt a presence to his left.

“Psst.”

Hinata furrowed his brows and twisted his neck, keeping his body facing forward as he looked at the person beside him. He looked to be about the same age and height as Hinata, with spiky black hair that stuck up in all directions. There was a small piece of hair that hung in his face that was bleached blonde, and Hinata found himself mentally curious as to how that came to be.

“Uh, yeah?” Hinata asked, his voice quieter than he’d meant it to be. Hinata was usually a people-person, but he found himself drowning in nerves.

“Do you have a pencil or pen I could borrow?” The boy grinned lopsidedly. Hinata couldn’t help but notice the laid-back way that the student was sitting, like he was just lounging at home rather than being in a college classroom.

“Sure,” Hinata responded, louder this time but still keeping his voice soft. He reached down into his backpack and pulled out an extra pen.

“Oh, and maybe a piece of paper?”

‘Who doesn’t bring anything on the first day of school?’ Hinata thought to himself, biting his lip to stop himself from asking just that out loud.

After Hinata handed the pen and paper over, the boy fully grinned, doodling on the sides of the paper as he did so.

“Thanks, kid! I’m Nishinoya Yuu!” Hinata cringed slightly at the loudness of the boy’s voice, but quickly returned the warm smile with one of his own.

“Hinata Shouyou, nice to meet you, Nishinoya.”

“Noya!” Another voice called out, echoing in the classroom, making nearly everyone turn towards the doors.

Another student was walking in, a grin on his face and a swagger in his step, his eyes trained on Nishinoya.

“Hey, Tanaka!” Nishinoya brightened up exponentially, practically hopping in his seat, gesturing to the open seat next to Hinata.

Tanaka slid easily into the seat, and the two leaned over on their desks to talk over Hinata.

“How was your break?”

  
“Oh, it was alright. My family and I just went to the beach and fished, it was fun,” Nishinoya shrugged at that.

“Catch anything big?”

  
The conversation continued like that for a minute, Hinata leaning back in his seat to give them their space and a small semblance of privacy even though it seemed they’d forgotten that he was even in between them in the first place. He tuned them out, waiting for class to officially start… At least he tried, until a word caught his attention.

“Wait, what did you say?” Hinata sat up straighter in his chair, looking towards the boy that now sat on his right.

“Huh? Oh, I said that there’s a new volleyball coach. Apparently he’s super young and some kind of hotshot,” Tanaka repeated, looking towards Hinata now. “Noya, who’s this?”

  
“It’s Hinata! He’s my new friend. He comes bearing pens and paper,” Nishinoya stuck the tip of his tongue outside of his mouth cheekily, going back to doodling mindlessly on the paper Hinata had given him.

“Nice, you’ll be a good asset to the team, Hinata,” Tanaka nudged Hinata, drawing a laugh out of the shorter boy.

“You guys are on the volleyball team too?” Hinata asked, his expression brightening and hope slowly building in his chest.

“Hell yeah, dude! I’m a wing spiker, and Noya is a libero!”

Hinata felt like he had stars in his eyes as he looked at the two of them, gripping the desk to try and contain his excitement. Unfortunately, before he could ask further questions, the professor walked in, effectively silencing the students and quickly started the lecture.

━━━━━━

Nishinoya and Tanaka walked with Hinata as the English students flooded out of the building. The professor seemed kind enough, but had assigned extensive reading on several books that Hinata had never heard of. So he was already beginning to stress the amount of work he had ahead of him this semester, but that was slowly starting to diminish as he listened to his two new friends talk around him.

“—and then Tanaka did a keg stand, which he definitely should not have been doing since he’d already downed like three shots of tequila…” Nishinoya continued his drawn-out tale of their high school graduation.

“It was four, Noya! If you’re gonna tell it, tell it right!” Tanaka interjected, seemingly unembarrassed about his drunken escapades.

“Fine, four! Anyway, he did the keg stand, right? And he fell backwards onto the pool table, messing up the game that was going on, and oh my God those guys were so fucking pissed at you! He almost got in a fight with the biggest dudes in school!” Nishinoya gripped his sides as he laughed, earning laughter from Hinata as well, while Tanaka just huffed out a breath.

“You’re not making me out to be the best person, Noya,” he warned, but kept his features soft, his eyes dancing in amusement.

“Well, enough about us. What about you, Hinata? What’s your deal?”

“My deal?” Hinata repeated, earning a nod from the two. “Well… I guess my deal is volleyball.”

  
Tanaka scoffed, waving a hand in Hinata’s face. “Yeah, we know that! What else about you besides that you play volleyball and that you take extensive notes in class?”

  
Hinata felt a light blush cross his cheeks, and he looked down at his feet as they walked across the quad. “Well… I just moved here— Well actually, I just moved to West Si— So I’m new in town…”

  
“Did you move with your parents, or what?” Nishinoya interrupted, tilting his head slightly to the side. “Did one of your parents get a new job or something?”

  
“No,” Hinata bit his lip, trying to figure out the best way to word his next sentence. “I moved here with a friend of mine. My parents kicked me out, and Bokuto took me in.”

“Bokuto, your friend?” Tanaka verified, and Hinata nodded.

He waited for the pity, the questions, anything that had to do with his parents, but it never came. Hinata risked a glance at the two that had fallen silent, but found nothing in their eyes or facial features that would give off anything but interest and contentment towards the redhead. He smiled softly, a perk in his step appearing.

‘I think I’m gonna like it here.’

━━━━━━

Nishinoya and Tanaka had a class in the building next to Hinata’s, so they all agreed that after their class they would meet back outside and have lunch together. Hinata had agreed all too happily, desperate to talk to his new friends more, and ask them more about their volleyball experiences.

Science was his next class, and he found the room a lot easier to find than the previous one. It was a smaller classroom, with black lab tables and stools scattered throughout it. There were a few students already in their seats, and again, Hinata went to the back of the classroom and sat at a table that didn’t have anybody there yet. He watched as people slowly trailed in, getting out his supplies again in preparation for the start of the class. The tables around him were filling quickly, and it seemed that a lot of the students already knew each other and were picking tables that contained their friends.

“Hey, is anyone sitting here?” A student had walked up to Hinata, his voice soft and his eyes trained towards the table rather than looking Hinata in the eye.

“Oh, no! Go ahead,” Hinata scooted his stool further to the edge of the table, trying to give the newcomer space to sit next to him. The tables themselves could hold up to four people, but the boy had sat next to Hinata.

“Thanks,” he responded, his voice just as soft.

“I’m Hinata Shouyou,” he spoke up, his voice cracking unintentionally.

The student was taller than Hinata, but his slumped posture and quiet personality made him come across as more approachable and kind. He had dark hair that hung in his face and down his neck, with one flyaway piece that seemed to stick up, disregarding any attempt at taming it. But the main thing that Hinata noticed were the freckles that were smattered across the boy’s cheeks and nose, giving him a younger more innocent look.

“Hi, Hinata. I’m Yamaguchi Tadashi.” He gave a tight-lipped smile before he too pulled out a notebook and pen in preparation for the start of the class.

“So… What are you majoring in, Yamaguchi?” Hinata was determined to make a better impression with people instead of slinking back in nervousness like he’d originally done with Tanaka and Nishinoya. College was an experience, dammit, and he was going to experience it to the fullest!

  
“I’m undecided,” Yamaguchi replied, and Hinata didn’t miss the blush that climbed across the taller boy’s neck.

“That’s okay! I kind of am too,” Hinata admitted, only to add: “But right now my major is Sport’s Medicine. But I really just want to focus on volleyball and go pro one day!”

  
Yamaguchi turned to face Hinata at that, a more genuine smile stretching across his lips. “I play volleyball, too.”

  
“Really? Man, I must be a magnet for you guys, because I just met two more of our incoming teammates too!” Hinata exploded in joy, bouncing in his seat as he turned to face Yamaguchi.  
The two of them chattered for a few minutes, Hinata seemingly more excited than Yamaguchi, until another voice spoke up.

  
“Is it okay if I sit here?” The voice seemed to squeak, clear anxiety lacing it as the two boys turned to the owner.

It was a young girl, about the same height as Hinata, with short blonde hair that was clipped back in two barrettes. Her face was already red just from that brief sentence, and she clutched her back so tightly to her chest that her knuckles were turning white.

“Of course! Go ahead!” Hinata spoke a little louder than he’d meant to, affectively surprising the girl. But she sat anyway, following suit to the two other boys and pulled out her notebook and pen as well. “I’m Hinata, and this is Yamaguchi,” He spoke for them both, dialing his voice down to a more acceptable level, and giving the girl a warm smile to try and ease her nerves.

“I-I’m Yachi Hitoka, nice to meet you Hinata,” she spoke up, returning his smile with one of her own.

Before he could speak again, Hinata was yet again interrupted by the entrance of a professor, and class began.

━━━━━━

The science class was over almost as quickly as it had started, or it at least seemed like it. The professor seemed fun and like she was very lenient when it came to deadlines and exams, so Hinata felt even more stress lift off his shoulders. The material still seemed difficult, and the textbook was yet another thing he needed to the ever-growing list of things he needed to purchase this week, but he wasn’t fretting too hard about it yet. That was a discussion to be had with Bokuto later.

Science was his second-to-last class for the day, meaning that he still had one more today, and two more to deal with on Tuesdays and Thursdays; but the english and science classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays seemed like enjoyable and fairly easy classes, and they became even better now that he had made friends in them. Yachi had opened up quickly when she realized how nice Hinata and Yamaguchi were, and the three had quickly gotten closer over the course of the lecture.

“Where are you off to next?” Yachi spoke up as they left the classroom, the three of them falling in-step together easily.

“I have English next, and then Anthropology. What about you, Hinata?” Yamaguchi directed the question to him.

“I have a little break, so I’m gonna grab some lunch. But then I go to Nutrition,” Hinata scrunched up his face as he tried to recall his schedule.

“Oh, that sounds interesting!” Yachi commented, and before long they were outside again, the bright sun beaming down on them. “Well, I think we’re both going this way, so we’ll see you on Wednesday, right Hinata?”

  
“Right!” He grinned and gave a little wave as Yamaguchi and Yachi walked together, and he could hear the soft murmur of their voices getting further and further away before he was interrupted from his thoughts again.

“Hina!” The unmistakable squeal that was Nishinoya’s voice could be heard from across the campus, but Hinata found him grinning, turning around to face the two boys that were running up to him.

“Hey, how was science?” Tanaka asked, his backpack slung over just one shoulder as he followed closely behind Nishinoya.

“It was good! I met another one of our teammates there, his name is Yamaguchi,” Hinata spoke up with an easy smile and the three began walking to the cafeteria together, making idle chitchat along the way.

The aroma of both grilled and baked goods filled the large building, giving Hinata the idea that if he smelled a pie he could float towards it like a cartoon.

“Wow! This place smells amazing,” the three boys almost drooled as they spoke in unison, their eyes wide as they took in the cafeteria for the first time. The white porcelain tiles lined all the way throughout the room, making the squeaks and echoes of shoes stepping and sliding against them all the more apparent. Not unlike Hinata’s high school, the cafeteria contained long tan tables with attached stools for the seating, and nearly all the tables were packed full of students and faculty alike. On the side of the room that contained the kitchen, there were sections for baked goods, sandwiches and salads, and grilled foods.

Hinata couldn’t help but think he died and went to heaven.

“Ow!” He shrieked, quickly clasping a hand over his bicep, a sting of pain shooting up his arm. “What the hell!”

  
Nishinoya just laughed and slapped him on the back goodheartedly. “You had that ‘I think I’m dreaming’ look on you, so I thought I’d pinch you so you know it’s real.”

Hinata just rolled his eyes and followed his friends through the food lines, getting a sandwich, salad, and a small cake for dessert.

“You’re not gonna get more, Hinata?” Tanaka asked as they walked to the register, his words slurred through the chips he was stuffing into his mouth. “They’re not gonna run out!”

  
He just shook his head at that, and although his stomach was growling in protest at the light lunch he’d decided to get, he knew that he and Bokuto were already tight on money. He didn’t want to make it worse by pigging out for lunch. Noya and Tanaka paid first, leaving Hinata to shakily hand over the last of the cash he contained in his wallet, trying to move on from the subject as quickly as possible.

“So, when do volleyball practices start again? I need to get another schedule to give to Bokuto.”

Nishinoya hummed, and holding a slice of pizza between his lips, he dug in his backpack and slid over the schedule to Hinata. “You can take my copy if you want, I have an extra at home.”

“Oh, thanks, Noya!” Hinata carefully folded it and stuck it in his back pocket, his fingers sliding against his phone as he did. He decided to pull his phone out and turn it on, wanting to check in with Bokuto so he didn’t worry too much.

**From: Hinata (1:45pm)**

**> >** Hey Bo, I’m at lunch right now. Just wanted to check in and tell you I’m having a great day so far! I also got my schedule for volleyball practices, and it starts Wednesday.

**From: Bokuto (1:52pm)**

**> >** Shrimpy! I’m glad your day is going well! Did you make any new friends yet? Did anyone ask to smell your pits? I’m telling you, that deodorant shit smells so good! I’ll be there to pick you up out front at half past four, alright?

**From: Hinata (1:57pm)**

**> >** Sounds good, thanks Bo. I’ll tell you everything when we get home! :-)

**From: Bokuto (2:01pm)**

**> >** Can’t wait, kiddo!

Hinata stuck his phone back in his pocket once their conversation died down, and easily slid back into conversation with Nishinoya and Tanaka. He’d had friends in high school, but it wasn’t until after his parents had kicked him out that Hinata realized that he didn’t have any _real_ friends. Most of them hadn’t responded to him when he told them that he didn’t have anywhere to go, and the ones that did were anything but supportive. He quickly shook the negative thoughts from his brain, focusing on what was in front of him.

Bokuto was his family now, and he didn’t need anything more than that.

Lunch sped by, and that led Hinata to his last class of the day, Nutrition. He followed his routine from the first half of his day, going to a seat in the very far back, and setting himself up with his notebook and pen. The first day had turned out to be something of a huge success in his eyes, and he was the most relaxed he could see himself being in a new place. Thatfact had Hinata unable to hide his grin, and he sat facing forward with his feet swinging in his chair as he waited for class to start. He also couldn’t help but notice that a few of his peers were looking his way, sitting on the far left side of the classroom, but he just ignored their stares.

Well, ignored them as much as he could.

It became something of a nuisance to him when he heard them start to whisper and snicker, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand, goosebumps rising on his skin. Paranoia flooded through Hinata’s body, and he felt himself slump forward in his chair, his chest caving in self-consciously, a position he had become quite used to in high school. A position that made him seem smaller, as if the smaller he was, the less people would notice and care about his presence.

Luckily, he was saved by the professor walking in, and the students were quickly silenced. Hinata spared a few glances in their direction as class continued, the professor droning on about her expectations and the required reading. It was during one of these periodic glances that Hinata actually made eye contact with one of the students, the dark eyes meeting his own making Hinata shiver in his seat. The boy’s face stretched into a smirk, and if it had been someone like Bokuto, Hinata would have seen a hint of teasing or amusement. But this smirk gave him a sense of trepidation, but he couldn’t find it in him to move his gaze elsewhere. He had hair that was swept largely over to the left side of his face, a thin face that came together with a pointed chin and sharp jawline, and a small build. But there was something about the boy that made Hinata shy away, his body further curling within itself, and finally he broke their eye contact, focusing his attention back on the front of the room.

Unlike his other classes when the professor dismissed them, Hinata took his time to leave. He slowly packed his backpack with his belongings, double-checking that he’d written down everything that was on the board, before he made his leave. He didn’t make it far until he bumped into someone, nearly crashing onto the floor. His first meeting with Bokuto flashed through his mind, but that thought was fleeting as he met the stare of _those_ eyes.

“Oh, I’m s-sorry,” Hinata internally cringed as he stuttered, but before he could sidestep the boy, his backpack was knocked out of his hands.

“Watch where you’re going, pipsqueak,” the boy chuckled darkly, leaning down so he was even with Hinata’s line of sight.

“S-Sorry,” Hinata mumbled again, bending over to pick up his backpack. As if to put insult to injury, the boy kicked the backpack further away from Hinata’s reach, laughing as its contents spilled across the hallway.

“Just stay out of my way, rat.” The boy joined the rest of his group who had been standing several feet away watching, and they walked off with snickers and hushed voices.

Hinata felt tears sting in his eyes that he tried to shake off, slowly crawling across the floor to gather his things into his backpack. As he stood, he couldn’t help but feel just as weak and helpless as he had in high school, enduring the same shit day in and day out. A tear dropped from his eye, and he angrily scrubbed at his face with his wrist, trying to rid all evidence of his fragility. Hinata would die before he let anyone see that side of him again. He wanted to be someone that people could rely on, someone that they could come to with their problems, not the other way around. Hinata never wanted to be someone that would bring people down, and he was desperate to reinvent himself in this new school. So with a new resolve and an aggressive sniffle of his nose, Hinata stood up straight and tall, and walked confidently to the main building to wait for Bokuto, as if nothing happened.

And if anyone asked, nothing did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a slut for comments so if you want you can leave one

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all like it so far, please let me know what you think!


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